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Most requested translations added here for your convenience: I love you → Mwen renmen w. I miss you → Mwen sonje w. My love!Lanmou mwen!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

"Tout timoun jwe nan tete manman yo, men yo pa badinen nan pa papa yo." What's "nan pa papa yo"? (not their dad?)

nan pa papa yo (PA is possessive here, not a negative determiner) → in their father's

"Tout timoun jwe nan tete manman yo, men yo pa badinen nan pa papa yo."  
"Kids may play with their mom's breasts, but they don't fool around with their father's."

other examples of the usage of PA that's similar to the example you gave me.

1.  M renmen machin manman ou, men m pa renmen pa papa w la.
     I like your mom's car, but I don't like your dad's.

2.  Sa se pa Joe a.
     This is Joe's.
or

3.  Sa se SOULYE PA JOE A*.
     These are JOE'S SHOES.

*FYI: Haitians may say SOULYE A even if they're talking about BOTH shoes
  example
  Kombyen  w mande pou pè soulye a?
  How much do you ask for the pair of shoes?


Here's another example of using the possessive PA with a noun instead of a pronoun.
4. Kote pa ti bebe a?
    Where's the baby's?

or

5. Kote chèz pa ti bebe a?
    Where's the baby's chair?

To put #4 and #5 into perspective, we'll replace "ti bebe a" with a pronoun.
#4.  Instead of saying Kote pa ti bebe a, you would say Kote pa li a?
#5. Instead of saying Kote chèz pa ti bebe a?, you would say Kote chèz pa li aor Kote chèz pa l la? (with contraction)


See the construction of these next two.
6.  M konprann SA SE PA M NAN, men kote PA MARI M NAN?
     I understand that THIS IS MINE, but where's MY HUSBAND'S?

or

7. M konprann SA SE MANJE PA M NAN, men kote PA MARI M NAN?
    I understand THIS IS MY FOOD, but where's MY HUSBAND'S?


Two more examples:
8.  Mwen pa't pote bib mwen jodi a, eske m ka itilize pa pastè a?
     I didn't bring my bible today, can I use the pastor's?

9.  Kay Chantal la pi gwo pase pa Jordan nan.
     Chantal's house is bigger than Jordan's.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

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